Birth Records

 Births are recorded by "birth certificate" in the United States. This document contains information on the vital records pertaining to the child at birth.

The history of birth registration extends back to the ancient world, with its usage being recorded in Greece, Rome, Egypt, and China. Births were registered in order to evaluate potential manpower for military conscription as well as to facilitate taxation. Churches and Religious held authority over the maintenance of birth registers, although this practice fell into demise in the 19th century with the rise of the state in bureaucratic matters.

Internationally, almost all countries have regulations and laws concerning the registration of births, with the responsibility for ensuring such registration generally falling to the doctor or midwife delivering the baby or the administration of the hospital. Government agencies store and maintain the databases of records child birth. Such bodies may issue certified copies or photocopies of the original registration record subsequent to a request. Such representations are often needed in order to apply for such things as passports, driving licenses and government education grants. The administrative registrar of the birth records, or some similar person of authority, must sign the document in order to validate its use.

There are two types of birth records which may be issued on request, namely long and short form. Long forms, which may also be called certified photocopies, Photostat copies, or book copies, are complete and exact photocopy representations of the actual birth registration record form that was originally filled out by the attending medical profession or administrator at the time of the infant’s birth. Long forms generally delineate information regarding the parents' address, race, place of birth, occupation etc. They also contain information regarding the physician and other personnel who assisted in the labour as well as information about the hospital or location of birth. Signatures of the doctor and at least one of the parents are expected to be included on the long form. It is anticipated that such documents will become obsolete as electronic birth registration systems come on stream.

Short form birth registration certificates are sometimes, but not always, accessible. They are less expensive than the certified photocopies and are easier to prepare. They can also be known as computer certifications. Databases are created in which a limited volume of information is stored from the original long form birth record. This information can then be easily and quickly accessed when such data is required in an expedient fashion. In contrast to the long form birth certificate, which is an exact copy of the original, the short form can be described more as proof that such a document exists. It is for this reason that short form birth certificates are usually called "Certificate of Birth Registration".  Information included on the short form generally include: name of child, date of birth, sex, and birth place. Short form certificates are issued by almost all states in the U.S. from both state and local agencies. Such forms are generally accepted as valid birth records.